Were the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq necessary? The new essay on the U.S. Foreign Policy History & Resource Guide website, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the “war on terror,” makes the case that they were not. While it is widely known that the Bush administration made false claims in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, it is less well known that the administration rejected opportunities to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the Taliban in Afghanistan in the fall of 2001.
Like all essays on the website, this multi-part essay is a work of synthesis, utilizing primary sources and excellent scholarship to present a coherent and meaningful account of this “war on terror” era of U.S. foreign policy. The essay provides background information, closely examines official rhetoric and ideological presumptions, and discusses veterans, anti-Muslim prejudice, and peace movement activities on the home front. It is written for the general public and students (high school through college), and may be used by teachers and professors for reading assignments and classroom discussions. The text is divided into numerous sections and subsections for easy scanning, provides extensive endnotes, and is accompanied by 123 images and photos.
The co-authors, Jeremy Kuzmarov and I, have written other essays on the website and have separately published numerous books and articles on U.S. foreign policy.
Please share this educational resource with friends and associates. I would be interested in your feedback.
Roger Peace (PhD, American Foreign Relations)
Website coordinator: United States Foreign Policy History & Resource Guide
(The website is sponsored by the Historians for Peace & Democracy and the Peace History Society)
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